STATE FAIR HOBBY HALL IS A THROWBACK TO SIMPLER TIMES

There are plenty of loud, flashy thrills at the Puyallup State Fair, but one of the attractions with true charm is the hobby hall.

Author:
Ted Land

Published:
6:06 PM PDT September 21, 2017

Updated:
6:06 PM PDT September 21, 2017

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There are plenty of loud, flashy thrills at the Puyallup State Fair, but one of the attractions with true charm is the hobby hall, where you're reminded there are plenty of people who still enjoy making crafts with their hands, collecting interesting items, and playing games that don’t require a smartphone.

The group at the American Cribbage Congress table will gladly teach you how to play this curious game, which has a loyal following in Western Washington.

“We get fairgoers every year just to try and beat us. ‘I beat you last year!’ or ‘I didn’t beat you last year!’” said Mike Sudduth, director of the Vashon Cribbage Club.

There are more than a dozen cribbage clubs in the region. Some people play it four or five nights a week.

Across the room, Ron Patton with the Pacific Northwest Numismatic Association hands out historic pennies.

“I give them away to the seniors, and it’s their birth year, and they get a big kick out of it. They really do,” Patton said.

This gathering is a chance for them to share the magic of something we might just toss in a change jar and forget.

“A coin might be worth three or four dollars, but the smile on that person’s face when I give it to them is worth a hundred bucks to me,” Patton said.

In another room, there are displays with curious collections of Beanie Babies, Pez dispensers, cameras, and Minions. You name it, someone is collecting it, and they're eager to show it off in the hobby hall.